Talley v. Safety-Kleen
Confidential Settlement in Safety-Kleen Leukemia Case
On June 2, 1999, the Law Offices of Raphael Metzger settled a toxic injury case against Safety-Kleen Corporation on behalf of its client, Jorge Talley.
Jorge is a 43-year-old father of four who was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in 1994 and would have died at the time, but received a bone marrow transplant in 1995 which saved his life.
Before being diagnosed with leukemia, Jorge had worked at a Southern California aerospace company for 7 years, where he used a Safety-Kleen parts washer machine to degrease metal parts which he welded together to make aircraft refrigeration systems.
The parts washer machine dispensed Safety-Kleen 105 Solvent, which is actually recycled hazardous waste that is contaminated with benzene and several other carcinogens.
In the case Jorge claimed that his respiratory and dermal exposure to benzene and other toxic chemicals in the solvent caused his leukemia.
The settlement with Safety-Kleen was reached about 1½ years after the case was filed. The case was resolved to the satisfaction of the parties. Pursuant to the agreement, the amount of the settlement is confidential, and Mr. Talley is precluded from discussing the case.
This is not the first case in California that Safety-Kleen settled in which it was claimed that benzene from Safety-Kleen 105 Solvent caused a worker's leukemia. In 1990 Safety-Kleen paid James and Karen Junker $2.6 million to settle their claims that Mr. Junker's leukemia was caused by his occupational exposure to the solvent. That case was also settled confidentially and the entire court file in the case was sealed. However, a lawsuit was filed in 1997 by the Toxic Injuries Corporation to unseal the Junker case file, and the court file was unsealed last year. The amount of the settlement in the Junker case was discovered from the pleadings in a subsequent case between Safety-Kleen and its insurance carrier regarding a dispute over liability for payment of the settlement in the Junker case.
The Law Offices of Raphael Metzger is presently litigating several other cases against Safety-Kleen on behalf of workers exposed to Safety-Kleen 105 Solvent who developed leukemia, lymphoma, kidney failure, and kidney cancer. The firm also recently filed a Proposition 65 case against Safety-Kleen, accusing it of failing to provide cancer hazard warnings required by California law and of engaging in unlawful and unfair business practices.
Our Lawyers Can Help!
If you have questions about benzene poisoning or blood disorder symptoms and are concerned about possible occupational diseases and cancers, we are here to help. Toxic tort and injury laws are complex and confusing. The Metzger Law Group is here to help you. Call us today for a FREE evaluation to find out if you have a case or fill out our free evaluation forms to consult with a member of our caring staff.
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